Chicago Bulls' effort lacking, coach charges

Break down how they take the third-fewest 3-pointers in the league, how their defense is improved, how their half-court offense too often bogs down into standing around or pounding the ball.

But what this season hinges on, as much as anything, is plain and simple effort.

That's why Vinny Del Negro's uncharacteristically stinging rebuke late Saturday rang so true. And why following Sunday's film session and practice at a downtown hotel gym, the coach didn't back off.

"I didn't like the way we approached the finish of that game," Del Negro said. "Our effort wasn't good enough."

With still no true superstar to pass the ball to when things are stagnant offensively, the Bulls must rely on getting defensive stops and getting into transition and early offense. Too often in the fourth-quarter collapse against the Nuggets, the Bulls stood around in half-court offense, with little to no player or ball movement.

"You can definitely tell when we stop moving," Derrick Rose said. "Everybody just stands around, looking at whoever has the ball. Our whole offense depends on our defense because we have to get out and run."

What's galling about this up-and-down Bulls season is the defense, unquestionably, has improved. They rank ninth in allowing 94.8 points per game and eighth in opponents' field-goal percentage of .441.

And those statistics exist even after the Lakers and Nuggets dropped back-to-back offensive explosions on the Bulls, who have allowed more than 100 points to only those teams and the Celtics.

It's not unrealistic to expect the Bulls to continue their defensive improvement. It is unrealistic to think they always can get in transition. This begs the question: Are the Bulls offensively a good enough half-court team?

"I think we can be," Del Negro said. "I think we get stagnant at times. We want to play at a tempo that fits our personnel. But in the half-court, we have to be more sound with our screening. If they're switching, we have to use our slips.

"What (the Nuggets) were doing was switching a lot. We have to recognize that and execute the counters we work on. We have to have our big guys take advantage when they're switching. We haven't recognized that quickly enough nor taken advantage of that."

Del Negro said he's comfortable with the Bulls' low number of 3-point attempts at just 12.1 per game. To compare, the Knicks lead the league with 27.6 attempts.

"If the shots are there, I want guys to shoot them," Del Negro said. "But I wouldn't say that's one of our strengths."

Until back-to-back blowout losses, bringing effort had been a strength. Perhaps Del Negro's shortened rotation of basically seven players and spot minutes for Jannero Pargo and James Johnson is catching up to the Bulls.

Tyrus Thomas is at least two weeks from returning from his fractured radius in his left forearm.

"Tyrus brings us more depth, more versatility, more athleticism," Del Negro said. "It's a big loss for us, no question."

The Bulls know more effort is needed or other losses will occur as well.